The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 12, 1998
Filed:
Jun. 07, 1995
L Scott Stotelmyer, Manhattan Beach, CA (US);
Don K Fulkerson, Valencia, CA (US);
Hughes Aircraft Company, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
A method of loading propellant into a spacecraft that comprises storing and transferring propellant in a portable propellant loading tank, temperature conditioning and helium saturating the propellant in the propellant loading tank, transferring the loading tank to a launch site, coupling the loading tank to the propellant storage tank, and pressurizing the portable propellant loading tank to transfer the propellant to the propellant storage tank in the spacecraft. The method may further comprise weighing the propellant loading tank during propellant transfer, venting the propellant storage tank in the spacecraft to a receiver tank, and weighing the receiver tank during propellant transfer. The amount of propellant transferred to the propellant storage tank is equal to the difference between the measured weights of the respective loading and storage tanks.